Missing person update: Family thanks law enforcement, search and rescue teams and public
Carter McGowan, a Rockford man with Asperger's syndrome who was last seen leaving a health clinic on Jan. 22, remains missing.
McGowan, 22, was last seen two weeks ago leaving the UW Clinic on Marchesano Drive, near South Main Street and Rockford Fire Station No. 3.
He was wearing a grey jacket, blue-grey pants and blue tennis shoes. According to the family, McGowan's grey jacket was found by the Rock River shortly after he went missing.
The family released the following statement Friday afternoon.
"The family of Carter McGowan is grateful for the Rockford Fire Department and its dive team along with the Christian Aid Ministries Search & Rescue Team and the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department. We appreciate their work Feb. 1 to look for Carter in the Rock River, and are highly impressed by their determination, commitment and professionalism.
"Unfortunately, Carter remains missing. Water recovery teams will respond if Carter surfaces. For now, we still welcome help from people willing to look for Carter from the shoreline or with drones from the 15th Avenue bridge in Rockford south to Oregon, but continue to urge everyone to prioritize their personal safety and to alert the proper authorities should they see something."
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the family at 815-543-6654.
Chris Green is a general assignment reporter for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at 815-987-1241, via email at cgreen@rrstar.com, and on Twitter @chrisfgreen
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Parents of missing Rockford man search for son in Rock River
